I Wouldn't Change a Thing
by EthyleneGlycol
Summary: Harry has a secret to share with Ron and Hermione. HP/DG.
1. Coming Clean

"It's going to be okay," he said, trying to reassure her. "They're not going to react like how you think."

"It's not Granger I'm worried about," she responded, crossing her arms and coming to a stop in the corridor. "I've worked with her before. We're not friends but we're on good terms. It's Weasley, you know that."

Harry came to a stop, his footfalls echoing off the stone walls of the corridor as he turned around and put a hand on the girl's arm. Slender, yet strong, he slid his hand the length of the pale skin of her arm before clasping her long fingers and enclosing them in his own. Her fair skin nearly glittered in the torchlight, and when he gently moved his fingers under her chin to lift her eyes to his own, her bright blue eyes did. He brushed her long blonde hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. The pair stood in contrast to each other. She was fine-boned and tall, all light skin, hair, and eyes. He surveyed her through dark eyes illuminating a face framed by dark hair and encroaching stubble, and while not blessed by height, puberty had begun to make an impact on his shoulders and chest; the width of his torso showing the promise of muscle to come. It was not muscle that was needed now, as he wrapped her in a tender embrace.

"Don't worry about what they say. They're my friends and I'm ready for this to stop being a secret but if they can't handle it that's on them. We'll still be together."

She smiled at him tremulously. "Promise?"

"Of course." He kissed her again, this time on the lips, savoring the bright and woodsy smell that he associated with her. "Come on, they're waiting."

Harry looked at her and when she squared her shoulders and nodded her head he pushed open the door to the empty classroom. It was one they found tucked away on the sixth floor, near the Astronomy Tower. They used it often for practicing magic or when they were just looking for a place away from the hustle and bustle of the main castle. They never left any indication of their use of the room behind but judging by the perpetually untouched state of it, sans their own actions, it seemed as though the student body at large stayed ignorant of the large room with its scattered desks and dusty chandeliers.

"Hey, Harry," said Ron, who was absentmindedly levitating a chair. "What took you so...oh, um, hello?"

"Harry," said Hermione, looking up from a book. "Why is Daphne Greengrass here?"

Harry, as opposed to speaking with his usual sheepishness when confronting direct and possibly uncomfortable questions, spoke with a confidence he usually only felt when it came to defensive magic. He had faced down dark wizards and spent the better part of the last year studying under one of the greatest wizards of the age. He could face down questions like this from his closest friends.

"Ron. Hermione. Daphne Greengrass and I have been...um...dating since Christmas. We've kept it hidden until now because of everything," he gestured vaguely into the empty space in front of him, trying to encompass the entirety of conflict within and without the school with a wave of his hand, "going on right now."

Ron was staring at the two of them, wide-eyed and at a loss for words. Daphne was standing in the back of the room, using Harry as barrier between herself and the other two. Hermione still hadn't looked up from her book when she asked her next question. "Why are you telling us now?"

"Because it's almost the end of the school year and Daphne and I do not plan on being separated the entire summer. Also because you are my closest friends and I didn't feel right keeping this you from any longer." He turned around and placed his hand on Daphne's arm, gently guiding her to stand by his side. "Daphne understands this and wants everyone to get along."

"Hi," she said, maintaining her conservative posture but attempting to imbue her voice with a bit more confidence. "I...um...it's nice to meet you. I know this is probably a bit of a surprise but I hope we can get to know each other."

Ron exhaled deeply. "Blimey. Are you sure you're not under some kind of spell, mate?"

Harry laughed and wrapped his arm around Daphne's waist. "No, Ron. I'm not. The only magical means Daphne used to win me over was a fantastic Bludgeoning Curse."

Hermione finally looked up from her book, glaring at Daphne. "Did she hurt you, Harry?"

Harry shook his head, chuckling all the while. Daphne looked like she was about to cry, a sadness on her face but a flicker of anger in her eyes. Once he had composed himself and reassured the two of them Daphne had never threatened violence to his person to persuade him into a relationship, he launched into a story about how they met.

* * *

 _"Potter," said a quiet voice just past the door of the classroom to his left. He looked over and saw a Slytherin girl he knew by sight but not by name. "Would you have a minute?"_

 _He was slightly suspicious of being detained by a Slytherin but saw no reason to disregard her. He doubted she would try and hit him with a Killing Curse in the middle of a well trafficked corridor. Noting that Ron and Hermione were all on their way towards lunch, engrossed in what was most likely an argument while thinking about food and a book, respectively, he gestured the opposite direction away from the clamor of the main corridor. They walked in silence past a couple of classrooms until they reached a window looking out over the grounds at the end. Harry caught a glimpse of the Quidditch pitch and looked forward to getting out there after classes that afternoon._

 _"Potter...I have a, I suppose you could call it a favor, to ask of you," she said, crossing her arms in front of her and looking at her feet._

 _"Yes? And I'm sorry, but what was your name again?"_

 _"It's Daphne. Greengrass," she gave a small smile. "I'm surprised you don't remember me. We worked together once in Charms in our third year."_

 _"Sorry…"_

 _She laughed. It was a real, genuine laugh that did not belie her still insecure posture. She waved her hand absentmindedly in front of her. "Never mind. I wouldn't expect you to remember. We all remember our encounters with the famous Harry Potter though."_

 _Harry grew restless, checking over his shoulder. "Does this have a point or not?"_

 _"That bit? No. Anyway, what I wanted to ask you is if you'd be willing to work with me on Defense Against the Dark Arts?"_

 _Her request aroused Harry's suspicions. He had no idea why someone would seek him out specifically for help with defense, much less a Slytherin whose name he only just learned. He had never seen her with Malfoy, but there's a lot that went on in Slytherin that he didn't know about and he wouldn't put it past Malfoy to use another student as a ploy against him._

 _"Why should I help you?"_

 _She sighed and brushed her some hair behind her ear that had fallen in front of her face. She was looking out the window, not meeting Harry's eyes. He wasn't sure if she had looked him in the face once yet._

 _"I'm rubbish at it, Potter...Harry...and I need to stop being so. It's important for me to get better and I've heard you're the best."_

 _She met his eyes briefly and in them he saw a vulnerability he was unaccustomed to seeing on a Slytherin's face. The steely glare that he usually saw from Malfoy or Parkinson was missing, replaced by a softness, a worry that was rare to see in wizards. There was much artifice among magic users, even the supposedly 'good' ones. It was inevitable in a world marked by easy access to spells and substances that can make someone reveal their deepest secrets or attack their closest friends and families whenever someone with ill intentions wanted had a desire to do so. Defensiveness was natural. Harry didn't have to be a Legilimens to see Greengrass was telling the truth and if she was willing to come to him, in public no less, it must be urgent._

 _"Ok, Greengrass. I'll help you. I suppose I don't need to tell you that it would be best to keep these sessions a secret?"_

 _She nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. They made an appointment to meet that Thursday evening in an empty classroom on the second floor Harry knew to be uncluttered and optimal for practicing magic. The fact that it was well out of the way of both the Gryffindor and Slytherin common rooms was an added bonus. She smiled at him when she left, some of her previous anxiety fading away. Not completely, as she took off towards the Great Hall at near a run. Harry followed her at a more sedate pace, working on an excuse to tell Ron and Hermione and mulling over what just transpired. It might be worthwhile to work more closely with a Slytherin. Perhaps they could use this opportunity to make inroads into that house, especially considering the fight to come. Her motives remained uncertain and he resolved to keep his guard up around her until he could get a better read on her._

* * *

"...and a good read on her I managed to get," he said, smiling down on her.

"Funny, I didn't know you could read," she said, a genuine smile lighting up her face, their audience temporarily forgotten. They were brought back to reality by Hermione clearing her throat.

"I trust in your judgment, Harry, but are you sure this is wise?"

Harry frowned. "What do you mean?"

Hermione's voice was strained in the way it got when she was upset but tried to pretend she wasn't, like when dealing with a bad teacher or Ron's romantic dalliances. Harry had expected suspicion, even outright hostility, from Ron, whose habitual distrust of Slytherins was the expected reaction to these revelations. Ron had remained silent up until this point and Hermione's line of questioning was the unexpected reaction. She had been the one who always tried to tamp down on Ron and Harry's worst impulses and now she seemed to be indulging in them, committing the same offense she often accused the two of them of perpetrating: jumping to conclusions.

"I'm sure Daphne is a very nice person," she said, nodding in Daphne's direction. The smile had long slipped from her face and she stared straight at Hermione, waiting on her to continue. Hermione caught the look on Daphne's face and looked somewhat chagrined, but continued anyway. "I don't think this will go towards uniting people behind you, Harry. What are they going to think when they see you with a Slytherin even though they're expecting to fight many of them in the war to come?"

Harry did not hesitate. "To Hell with them. If they can't make the distinction between a follower of Voldemort and the rest of the Slytherins, normal students and people like you and I, then we can't help them. Dumbledore has always said to keep our friends and families close. To be loyal to each other and stand together. That hasn't changed. There's just one more of us now."

Hermione started to speak, but Ron interrupted her. He had a funny look on his face, as if he was giving voice to a thought he had trouble justifying to himself. "Harry is right, Hermione. We're his closest friends and if we can't accept even a single Slytherin as part of our cause, then we're not much better than You-Know-Who, I reckon. Now, we're not going around murdering Muggles and the lot but we're not doing much for changing the conditions that led us here in the first place. To be honest, mate, I'm mostly just hurt you kept this from us for so long."

Ron nodded at Harry and smiled at Daphne, saying it was nice to meet her, before he strode out of the room, the flicker of the torches indicated that in his frustration, he might have closed the door a little bit harder than he usually would. Nobody spoke for a few beats, not quite sure what to make of the scene that transpired. It was Daphne that spoke first.

"Look, Hermione, I don't expect you to trust me immediately. If our positions were reversed, I wouldn't trust me. A secret girlfriend who's a Slytherin on top of it? I can hardly blame you. What I ask is for you to give me a chance. I care deeply for Harry and want to see Voldemort defeated as much as you do. Can you do that?"

Hermione paused for a second, looking thoughtful, and then nodded. She said goodnight to the two of them and left, not closing the door quite as forcefully as Ron did. It being late and almost curfew, Harry and Daphne only took a few moments for themselves, which wasn't nearly enough after the heavy conversation they just had. He tried reassuring her about Ron and Hermione and she reassuring him that she felt that the conversation went well. Harry appreciated the gesture even though he knew she was lying. He spent a few moments comforting her and then, after indulging in a prolonged goodnight kiss, they raced back to their respective common rooms, not needing to arouse suspicions among the school at large by both being caught out of bed at the same time. They both made it back with a few minutes to spare, months of practice honed their skill in navigating the castle after late night trysts.

Ron and Hermione were not in their usual spot by the fire when he arrived. Not surprised that they had gone up to bed, Harry decided to wait a few minutes before going up himself to ensure they were asleep. He didn't want to talk to them about Daphne anymore tonight. He took his usual chair in front of the fire and stared into the embers, allowing himself to become lost in thought. The only other Gryffindors up at this time were a few especially dedicated seventh years trying to get an extra bit of revising done for their upcoming N.E.W.T.'s. Not for the first time in the last year, he thought of Sirius's worn face and messy hair, the burden of years in Azkaban always somewhat mitigated by the smile on his face when he sneaked into the fireplaces of Hogwarts to talk with Harry. Harry was sure Sirius would be on his side in this. Sirius had known plenty of Slytherins who weren't terrible people and would have trusted Harry's judgment in the matter. The fact that she was quite attractive certainly wouldn't hurt matters in Sirirus's eyes either. Harry was overcome by sadness, pangs that had diminished over the course of the year, but still rose to the surface every now and then. Sirius would have liked Daphne a lot. Behind her reserved exterior she was an intelligent, sharp-witted, and powerful witch. She would have kept Sirius on his toes. She certainly kept him on his.

The seventh years began packing up their things for the evening and the noise brought Harry out of his reverie. He checked his watch and saw nearly an hour had gone by since he sat dawn. Yawning and stretching, he stood up and made his way up to his bed. Placing his wand in the small stand he had fashioned on the headboard to keep it close by, he took off his glasses and settled onto the cool pillow. As sleep overtook him, and despite the lingering dread of needing to break it off with Daphne before he left to fight Voldemort, one last glimpse of the moonlight streaming in through the windows visible through the top of his four-poster brought him back to the happy memory when the two of them had first gotten together.

* * *

 _The Blasting Hex broke through his shield and even though he was able to dive out of the way and avoid the main thrust of the blow he lost his wand in the progress. Daphne beat him to it, picking it up and placing it in the pocket of her robes before he was able to scramble across the floor to regain it. She trained her wand on him while he rolled onto his back and put his arms up in the air in front of him. He didn't mind being in this position in front of her, he thought absentmindedly before castigating himself for it. She was clever and tenacious, learning rapidly and deploying spells with a creativity and ferocity he couldn't help but be impressed with. He had been fighting this internal battle for weeks now, though. He was merely helping her improve her defensive skills. It wouldn't do to think of her in a romantic sense, no matter how much fun she was to be around._

 _"Do you yield, Potter?" she said, pushing the wand a little closer to his face. "This is a nice little Christmas gift for you, isn't it? The student becomes the master."_

 _Harry, noticing how close her wand arm was getting to his face and how much she was enjoying her gloating kept her talking, exchanging a few more barbs with her as she moved closer still and started to let her guard down. When she let out a laugh at one of his more self-deprecating jokes he saw his opportunity, using his left arm to push the wand out of the way and his leg to trip her. Her wand slipped through her fingers and Harry was able to catch it off a bounce before it was able to roll away. He was able to bind her ropes before she recovered and added a gag for good measure, savoring his victory in silence for a moment. Eventually her glaring became too much and he laughed, dispelling the restraints and handing her back her wand._

 _"You almost had me this time, Greengrass. Which provides another valuable lesson. It's best to finish a fight when you have the advantage. Otherwise you might lose it." He smiled, despite the embarrassment of defeat he couldn't help but be somewhat proud of how much he imparted knowledge he imparted on Daphne over the last few months. "You did, for all intents and purposes, have me beat. So hats off to you."_

 _She grumbled, putting her wand back in her pocket and rubbing a spot on her forearm where the rope had been cutting into her bare skin. "I suppose I'll take it."_

 _She walked over to her bag, removing a bottle of wine and two glasses, pulling up two chairs and gesturing for Harry to sit down. They had taken to spending a few minutes chatting at the end of their meetings, developing a camaraderie that Harry found surprising at first but came to enjoy as time went on. What had originally been a couple of minutes to discuss the things they had worked on that day and to then set up the next meeting had evolved to include that as well as some time to just relax and blow off steam with someone they hadn't spent the last six years with. Harry found it refreshing to have a new perspective on things after spending nearly the entirety of his time at Hogwarts in the company of Ron and Hermione and to a lesser extent, Dumbledore. Harry liked to think he did the same for her but she was hard to read. Even though she wasn't nearly as taciturn as when they first started meeting, it felt like she was trying to avoid opening up to him._

 _She handed him a glass of wine. He hadn't had much alcohol other than the occasional drink at the Burrow over the summer at one of their large family gatherings or when one of the Weasley boys snuck in a bottle of Firewhiskey that they drink by the pond, whiling away a summer evening. He took a sip and found it quite enjoyable._

 _"I'm not sure if you like wine but I talked one of our seventh years into procuring this for me the last time he was in Hogsmeade. Consider it a thank you for taking the time to work with me this term. I really appreciate it."_

 _Harry smiled, continuing to sip the wine. "No problem. I was thinking maybe after Christmas we could work on some new things together, like conjuring and Transfiguration and the like. We've covered most of the defensive techniques I know and I think we'd be better served learning some new stuff then working on perfecting a Bludgeoning Curse or Disarming Spell." He paused, feeling a slight blush make its way onto his cheeks. "If you want to keep working together that is."_

 _She placed a hand on his arm. The long fingers were warm on his skin, she absentmindedly squeezed and sat back in her chair, lapsing into one of those prolonged silence Harry had come to expect from her. He didn't mind all that much, not being much of a talker himself. It was sometimes nice to just sit in a companionable silence with another person. Emboldened by the drink, he asked her a question that had been plaguing him ever since their first meeting in the hallway and he had stopped asking ever since she stonewalled him in their first session together._

 _"Why did you come to me for help?"_

 _She didn't meet his eyes. "Because you're the best."_

 _He persisted. "But why?"_

 _"War is coming," she said, looking past Harry at the back of the room, her eyes not focusing on anything. "And my family has made enemies. Ten months out of the year I reside in a dungeon with some of the children of those enemies."_

 _Harry was discomforted by this revelation but remained silent. He didn't want to derail her now that she was talking to him about something other than magic, Quidditch, and school gossip._

 _"During the first war we were aligned with the Dark Lord," she must have caught Harry's growing anger because she placed a hand on him again. "It was not out of any desire to see Muggleborns and Muggles killed. My father just saw it as a way to move up in the world, thinking he was going to remove the bureaucrats and old families resistant to change from power. My great-grandfather had made some mistakes several decades prior that had closed the halls of power from the Greengrasses and he wanted to open them again." She took a long drink of wine. "He realized his mistake after the Dark Lord used his growing power not to reform the Ministry but to massacre Muggles instead. Not wanting to be a part of it anymore but knowing that you don't simply hand in your resignation letter to the Dark Lord, he gave what information he had to Dumbledore and fled the country, spending three years abroad before you brought him down. He met my mother in Australia and my sister and I were both born there. It's really thanks to you we were able to return to our home."_

 _"Err...you're welcome." His next comment was more indignant though. "If your father disagreed with Voldemort, why didn't he stay and fight?"_

 _Daphne gave him a sideways glance. Harry could feel the exasperation in it. They simply did not see eye to eye on matters like this. "My father neither agreed with Dumbledore's aims nor did he wish to risk his life staying in the country. Courage is an admirable trait," she said inclining her head towards Harry. "So is self-preservation."_

 _He sat for a minute digesting what she told him. It made sense. He wanted to reject her and her family outright for supporting Voldemort in the first place, but with the little he knew about the first war he was aware it wasn't as clear cut as good against evil in the first few years. Her father's actions also weren't courageous in the Gryffindor sense, but it required a significant risk to both publicly stop supporting Voldemort as well as giving information on the dark wizard to Voldemort._

 _"The world is never as black and white as you want it to be," she said, refilling both of their wine glasses._

 _"I know that. Things would be easier that way, though."_

 _She laughed. "Yes they would. If it were I'd just be the cunning Slytherin trying to use to advance my own ends!"_

 _Harry chuckled too. "And I'd just be the noble Gryffindor, trying to save you from yourself."_

 _They both laughed together, clinking glasses and drinking more wine. The bottle was growing empty much faster than either had anticipated. They chatted amicably for a while, returning to the lighter fare of Quidditch and classes. They emptied the bottle and began to pack up their things, both quite tipsy. Discussing their Christmas plans, she was spending it in the Azores with her family while Harry would be staying at Hogwarts this year, they started to move to the door. Curfew was growing closer but neither seemed in a hurry to leave the other behind. Harry couldn't help but notice how attractive Daphne was in this moment, illuminated in the moonlight that lit the room in lieu of the torches they had extinguished, a sparkle in her eye and a genuine smile on her lips in place of the usual frown or smirk often present. An awkward air settled between the two of them. Emboldened by the alcohol, Harry spoke._

 _"So what are we?"_

 _She hoisted her bag over her shoulder, looking at him curiously. "What do you mean?"_

 _His face took on a very serious expression. "If we aren't just a Slytherin and Gryffindor, then what are we?"_

 _She moved closer to him, her height putting her on nearly the same level as he. He could smell her perfume, a light and earthy smell, like a forest after a rainfall, as his dark green eyes might her pale blue ones. Her lips stood out from the paleness of her face. Harry couldn't keep his eyes off of them. She placed a hand on her chest. Her voice was soft when she responded._

 _"We're just Harry and Daphne, trying to make it through the war alive."_

 _She leaned ever so closer and Harry took a chance, wrapping his arms around her slender form and touching his lips to hers. When she relaxed he hugged her tighter and pressed his lips more firmly to hers. A quiet sigh escaped her lips that spurred him onwards. She did not hesitate, matching his intensity. They broke apart after a few moments, flushed and breathing deeply. They smiled goofy smiles at each other._

 _"I thought you'd never do that," she said. "I was practically screaming from the rooftops the last few weeks."_

 _Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "No...you were very subtle."_

 _She smiled and kissed him again. "We have to get back. Happy Christmas, Harry."_

 _He watched her go and followed a minute later, making sure she was well clear of the room. He fell into bed later that night thinking of the kiss they shared, how her slender form felt in his arms, how her breasts felt pushed against his chest. The feel of her lips on his, the smell of her in his nose. It was far more intoxicating than any wine. He knew he couldn't see her before she got on the Hogwarts Express to head home the next day but he looked forward to her return.  
_

* * *

 **A/N:** Couple of notes on the story. It's going to be short one, 15K to 20K words. I've got most of it written, just need to flush out a few more scenes and do some revising.

This takes place during sixth year. I'm mostly using that general "atmosphere" for the story more than the plot points of HBP itself.

I tried to do something other than cliche "Ice Queen" in this piece. It'll be up to you all if I succeeded in the attempt.

Thanks for reading! I should have the next chapter up soon.


	2. Going Public

"Hey, mate," Ron said, poking his head through the curtains of his bed. "Are you awake?"

Harry rubbed his eyes and sat up. "I am now. What's up?"

Ron took a seat on Harry's bed and looked at his hands. "I wanted to talk about last night."

Harry was instantly on the defensive. Ron's muted reaction the previous evening was unexpected. His quiet contemplation and delicate approach today made him even more way of what was going on in the redhead's mind. He was confident Ron would come around in the end, they had been through too much together to allow a girl, albeit a secret Slytherin one but a girl all the same, to come between them for long. He assumed at this point his emotions were running raw and expected an admonishment from his best friend. What he got instead was unexpected.

"I just wanted to let you know that while I'm not happy you kept this from us for so long, I don't have a problem with the idea of you and Greengrass."

"Really?"

Ron nodded. "Mind you, I still think they're a shifty lot overall, but I don't think you'd be with someone like a Malfoy or Parkinson. I trust you and your judgment."

"That means a lot to me, mate."

Ron nodded, suddenly bashful. "Right then. How about some breakfast?"

Harry threw a pillow at Ron. "You go ahead, I'll be right down."

He looked around for a pair of clean robes for the day and stopped in the bathroom on the way down, brushing his teeth and absentmindedly combing his hair. He had given up trying to get it to lay flat and neat as futile long ago but he could usually achieve some semblance of order. Daphne seemed to like it at least.

As he walked to the Great Hall, Ron and Hermione not having waited for him, he felt a lightness in his step that hadn't been there for a while. It felt good to have let the two of them in on his secret. He cared for Daphne a great deal but she would never be able to replace his two oldest friends. With Ron coming around much faster than he thought he would he expected an upbeat reception from Hermione, who would be happy for Harry after chastising him for keeping it from them for so long. He saw Ron and Hermione sitting next to each other at their usual spot at the Gryffindor table and made to sit across from the two of them. He filled a plate with eggs and toast. After only a bite he looked up and noticed something was off. Ron wasn't eating with his usual gusto and Hermione hadn't even acknowledged his presence.

"Morning, Hermione," he said.

She just grunted at him in response. Harry looked askance at Ron who just shrugged and returned to his bacon while staring off into space. Maybe she was really into whatever she was reading this morning. It wouldn't be the first time she barely acknowledged the two of them while absorbed in a book. He took out a book of his own, one on advanced transfiguration he was working through with Daphne, and ate breakfast in silence. A few minutes passed before he noticed Hermione looking at him.

"Yes, Hermione?"

"I was doing some reading." Ron laughed off to her side as if she said this expecting it to be some kind of surprise. A look silenced him. "Did you know that of the people who work at the Ministry, the Slytherins have the highest concentration of those working in departments related to dark magic?"

Harry was puzzled. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Doesn't it seem kind of strange to you that Slytherins almost universally select themselves into areas isolated from our society that deal with the darker aspects of magic?"

Harry had heard this before. In fact, he recalled a similar discussion he had with Daphne soon after they started working together. He had made a flippant comment about a spell they were going over that was not widely accepted among mainstream practitioners but probably wouldn't stop a Slytherin, he had received a long lecture about how Slytherins were unfairly maligned for their house and there were plenty of examples of good Slytherins, and that maybe it was possible that the disproportionate involvement of Slytherins with the darker areas of magic was due to the cultural ostracism of them. Harry had found it hard to argue with that. They also discussed the idea of magic being neither dark nor light, rather an indication of intent, that evening. Harry kept that part to himself.

"Isn't it possible that the kind of attitude you're displaying is the reason so many of them, even those inclined to be 'good', find their ways to places and people who won't immediately discount them because of who they are?"

Hermione recoiled as if slapped. She closed her book and stood up from the table. "I love you Harry and I don't want to see you get hurt. I agree with you that not all Slytherins are bad, but you know how the Sorting Hat works. Slytherins are picked specifically for their cunning and ambition. And I don't care how attractive or nice to you she is. That includes Daphne as well."

She left the table. Harry just stared at the spot she had vacated, his breakfast forgotten. He couldn't believe Hermione was actually trying to dissuade him from being someone due to their house. She had always seemed like the more reasonable one to Harry, willing to look past house affiliation and see the person themselves. She had always done this herself, whether it was House Elves or Viktor Krum. He was stung by her rebuke.

"She'll be fine, Harry," Ron said, also having stood up from the table. "You know how she is. She's not big on surprises. Not to mention the Slytherins have always given Hermione a hard time being a Muggleborn and all."

He left, presumably to go talk to Hermione. Harry pushed away his plate, the emptiness of his stomach replaced by the rock taking its place. Ron was right. As tolerant and understanding as Hermione could be, the Slytherins had been relentless towards her since her first day here. It was a lot to ask of someone, to come to terms with a surprise like Harry had sprung on the in the form it had taken. He looked up at the enchanted ceiling and let out a breath. He hoped they could work through it soon.

* * *

The whispers started after they sat together in Transfiguration. Seeing what was going on, Ron had given him a weak smile and thumbs up before turning to the front of the class. Hermione made a point not to turn around and acknowledge them, even when they were passing back homework from the previous week. It hurt him to be treated by one of his best friends this way and it also hurt to see the impact it had on Daphne. They only had two classes together, this and Potions, and they both decided it was best to maintain their distance while in the dungeons, but figured as long as they were coming clean to Ron and Hermione it was okay to let the rest of the school in on the secret. Seeing her slumped shoulders and downcast eyes, Harry wondered if this had really been the best course of action. He put a hand on her leg and smiled at her, trying to make it as uplifting as possible. She smiled weakly in return but did sit up a little straighter in her seat.

The lesson itself passed uneventfully. They were working on turning things to stone, which Harry and Daphne had practiced together a few months ago. As a result, they both did their best to outdo each other, creating and more and more outlandish figures and scenes as the lesson progressed. It was just as Harry managed to create a dragon, complete with eyes made of red stone and fire emanating from its jaws, that the bell rang and McGonagall's voice rang out over the din.

"Please complete an essay on the difficulties surrounding turning an object to stone by next week," she said, surveying the assorted students packing away their things. She stopped when she got to Harry. "Mr. Potter, please remain behind for a moment."

Harry gulped. Six years later and Professor McGonagall still made him nervous like no other professor in the school did. He told Daphne to go on ahead. Ron lingered for a moment, making his way to the front of the classroom with Harry.

"What do you reckon she wants?"

"No, idea," he said.

Hermione pushed past them without saying a word and Ron made to follow, promising to save him a seat at dinner. McGonagall was putting away a handful of books when Harry reached the desk, placing his bag, weighed down by the dragon statue he had created, on the floor next to him.

"Mr. Potter," she said, turning to face him. "I just wanted to commend you on your work today. What you created was quite difficult."

"Thanks, Professor," he said, looking at his shoes.

"You should be quite proud of yourself," she said, smiling at him. "What surprises me is that it seems that only know are you displaying a talent for the subject. Any reason why that might be?"

Daphne. "Just taking things a little more serious these days, I guess."

"Of course, Mr. Potter," she said, her tone indicating a clear skepticism towards his response. "Whatever it is, I'm glad something has been able to nurture these skills in you."

She looked at him knowingly over the tops of her glasses and Harry couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. Laughing at his blush, she let him go, telling him she looked forward to seeing what he could do the rest of the year. He left and cursed himself for losing his composure. Still, he couldn't help but feel a little pride in what she had told him. Rare praise indeed from the stoic professor. He hurried along to Gryffindor Tower, wanting to drop his bag off before dinner. That dragon statue was quite heavy and he was saving it to give to Daphne but didn't think it was yet appropriate to do it in front of everyone in the Great Hall. It would have to wait until the weekend. They were taking this slow, measuring the reaction of the school as more and more people became aware of their relationship. There was a lot riding on it and on Daphne especially. Harry just had to convince the school she wasn't dark, being the 'Chosen One' and all, but she had a fine line to walk, trying not to alienate her own house, populated by students, ranging from suspicious to outright hostile to him, as well as not provoking the school, leading them to believe she was bringing their hero over to the dark side. She had reassured him she could handle whatever was thrown at her and he had no doubt she would. He saw the toll it was taking on her all the same.

He made it to the Great Hall with dinner in full swing, which meant that Ron should have already been well into his second plate. It seemed as though he and Hermione were arguing about something. Or rather, based off of Hermione's rapid whisper and Ron's arm patting her on the shoulder, it seemed more likely that she was venting while Ron tried to placate her. Harry sighed and approached. He was pretty sure this was only about one thing. He sat down across from the and grabbed his plate, clattering it on purpose. Ginny was seated next to him and was absentmindedly stirring some chicken around in her mashed potatoes.

"How long have they been at it?" he asked.

"Since we sat down about ten minutes ago," she said. "It makes enjoying your dinner quite difficult."

Harry laughed. "I don't doubt that."

They chatted amicably about Quidditch and her father's latest mishaps with Muggle technology for a few minutes before the two sitting across them from finally deigned to acknowledge his presence. Ron tried to cut Hermione off with a loud question about Quidditch, but she would not be deterred.

"Where did you learn to do that?" she asked, looking him directly in the eye. The knife she held in her left hand shouldn't have made him as nervous as it did but he couldn't help but keep an eye on it.

"A book," he said.

"With Daphne," she said. "What makes you want to do all of this extra studying all of a sudden? The only time I've seen you interested in anything magical beyond Quidditch was during the Triwizard Tournament."

Harry shrugged. "She makes me want to do better. And it's fun working with her."

"Do you not like studying with me?"

Harry missed the slight waver in her voice. It didn't help matters that he accompanied his response with a laugh. "It's alright, but you can make it feel like a chore."

Hermione looked away and pushed herself up from the table. Saying she wasn't hungry anymore, she walked quickly away from the table and out into the Entrance Hall, presumably heading for the grounds. Harry felt like he had been punched in the gut. He could tell he had made Hermione upset, but wasn't sure why.

Ginny grabbed a couple of biscuits from a bowl in the middle of the table and wrapped them in a napkin. She stood up from the table and looked at Harry. "That wasn't very nice, you know."

"I know," he said, "But I'm not quite sure what I did wrong."

He looked at Ron. Ron nodded. "Studying with her is a chore."

Ginny scoffed. "I don't know how you managed to get a girl like Greengrass with how dense you obviously are." She looked at Ron. "You too."

She followed Hermione out of the hall, biscuits in hand. Ron muttered something about girls and their brains and returned to his dinner, finally able to attack it with gusto. Harry was no longer hungry, munching on a breadstick and leaning his head on his hand. He was surprised at Hermione's reaction. It wasn't the first time he and Ron had teased Hermione about her study habits and clash between hers and there's. The only thing different now was Daphne. He hadn't considered the possibility of her being jealous of the two of them. Maybe that was it. He knew the two of them didn't feel anything romantically for each other, but Daphne was cutting into time he had shared only with Ron and Hermione for the better part of six years. It wasn't so much that he disliked studying with Hermione as it was showing a preference for Daphne. Harry couldn't help but feel proud of himself for being so insightful. He resolved to make it up to Hermione as soon as he could. He felt like he should say something to Ron too, but as he watched him stuff his face with a contented smile on his face, he didn't think he needed too.

Harry apologized the next morning, making it clear to Hermione that even though he enjoyed the company of Daphne and had no intention of stopping, she would never supplant she and Ron in his eyes. She had softened a bit and gave him one of her hugs that rivaled Mrs. Weasley's. Their conversation had clearly done the trick and she had thawed towards Harry from that point on. She remained obviously suspicious of Daphne, which irritated Harry to no end, but she was at least polite towards her when she was around. Harry hoped she'd come around soon.

* * *

A few weeks later found Harry and Daphne strolling around the grounds, enjoying the warm spring weather finally beginning to emerge after the long, dreary British winter. Though he remained hesitant to walk so openly with Daphne she had insisted, growing tired of Harry trying to protect her. She had finally thrown up her hands and told him that if they were going to have to face the Dark Lord within the next few years, she could manage a few disgruntled teenagers. There was also the end of term rush to contend with while the beautiful weather and increasingly dire conditions in the wider world forced people's attention to move beyond the usual petty squabbles that consumed the student body. Harry found it hard to argue with her and the situation but remained wary of their surroundings when they were together.

"I've always loved the lake. It reminds me of the one near my home that we'd go sailing on as kids." She looked at him, her eyes wide and vulnerable. "You'll come visit this summer, right? My parents will love you."

Harry wanted to say no, he had a dark wizard to stop. He couldn't bring himself to do so, looking into her shining blue eyes and face framed by long blonde hair astrew in the wind. Instead of saying no, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, kissing her on the forehead.

"I'd love to."

Her smile grew wider and she put a hand on her chest. "I also know of a few places where we can do more than just sail."

"Like what...oh." Harry blushed but looked her full in the face. "I think I'd like to find out what those things are."

Despite her boldness, a hint of a blush crept onto her face as well. She responded in a husky whisper. "I'm glad."

They kissed for a few minutes before a chill in the air brought them back to reality. The sun had begun to set and no matter how warm the day was the evenings would still be cool. They sat wrapped in each others arms, trying to stay warm while watching the deepening orange of the sun slip closer and closer to the horizon. Finally they stood up and started walking towards the castle. Dinner was long over but he knew Dobby would be more than happy to provide them with a private candlelit dinner.

The small candlelit dinner had turned out to be a feast and both were tired and content. Ron and Hermione had wandered in to join them towards the end of the meal, assuming they would be down there after missing dinner. They chatted long into the evening, speaking of summertime and exams, studiously avoiding any talk of the war and the role they would be playing in it soon enough. Harry knew he would have to a long conversation with Daphne about the foreseeable future but was in no rush to have it. Watching the two girls laugh together while talking about their Arithmancy professor, Gregory, who Harry had never seen, he felt confident that soon enough Hermione would be accepting of Daphne as part of their group. As Ron started in on his weekly attempt to convince Harry that this year was the Cannons' year, he knew it was time to get going, curfew being only a secondary concern.

They made their way without incident into the Great Hall where they parted, Daphne off towards the dungeons and the other three heading towards Gryffindor Tower. Just as they were about to mount the staircase they heard a scream and a bout of laughter. Harry looked at the other two and took off running, Ron right behind him. Hermione following at a more sedate pace. They found three younger students, a Hufflepuff and two Ravenclaws standing over another student, a Slytherin. _Daphne_. Harry, without thinking, drew his hand and cast three Stunning Spells in short succession, dropping them where they stood. Ron bound them with ropes. Harry crouched down by Daphne. She was awake but in obvious pain.

"Daphne, are you okay?" he said, brushing her hair out of her face.

"My skin," she said, between deep, ragged breaths. The words came out in each exhalation. "It hurts so much."

He pulled up one of the sleeves of her robe. She was covered in boils. He looked at Hermione, hoping she would know the countercurse. She shook her head, at a loss for words. Her was face pale and her hands trembled slightly. Ron was roughly dragging the younger students across the floor next to each other. Harry didn't recognize any of them. All the better, he thought.

"Hermione," he asked, unable to keep a slight tremor from his voice. "Could you please take Daphne to the hospital wing?"

She nodded, though she didn't look happy to be leaving the two of them behind. She had an unreadable expression on her face as she stepped forward to help Daphne to her feet.

"Harry," Daphne said, grabbing onto her sleeve. "Please don't leave me."

Harry stroked her hair, her scalp being one of the few spots on her body not covered by the ugly green spots. "I'll be right there. Hermione will look after you, won't she?"

He stared at Hermione. He didn't think she would outright harm her but he also worried she wouldn't be as gentle with her as he would like her to be. She muttered a promise to take care of her and raised her wand. Harry was momentarily anxious, ready to spring into action in case Hermione cast something unexpected. He recognized a numbing charm and sighed with relief. They helped her to her feet and watched them trudge slowly towards Madam Pomfrey, the tall blonde's arm wrapped around the shoulders of the slightly shorter Hermione.

Ron jabbed one of the unconscious students in the ribs. "What do you reckon we should do with this lot?"

Harry, sure that Daphne was going to get sorted out quickly and as painlessly as possible, turned to the unconscious students.

"We'll figure that out in a moment," he said, waving his wand to revive them.

They came to with a gasp. When they realized they were bound, their eyes grew wide with panci and they began to struggle. They didn't stop until Ron held up all three wands in his hand and placed them in his robes, patting the spot against his torso where they now sat. The three glared at the two of them but lay still. Harry dispelled the robes that bound them but kept his wand pointed at three of them. One of the Ravenclaw boys, dark haired with a ruddy complexion who must have been about a fourth year, broke the standoff.

"Greengrass put you up to this, didn't she?" he said, "We're just trying to help you, Potter."

"Help me with what?" he asked, confused.

Ron laughed. "What could the three of you possibly do to help him?"

"Greengrass," said the girl, a Hufflepuff who shared the first boy's dark hair and complexion. He wondered if they were related. "Our mom said there's no way Harry Potter would ever be in a relationship with a Slytherin if it weren't for dark magic."

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. Obviously related, obviously spreading rumors from the gossip of his parents. It irritated him to no end that not only was he a source of gossip in the wizarding world ever since he was fourteen, between the Triwizard Tournament and then the subsequent attacks on his character during the previous year, but now his private life, what of it there was, was becoming fodder for discussion among adults in their society. If these three believe it he had no doubt there was more of them.

"Which one of you cast the curse?" he asked, choosing not to respond to what the girl had said. The third one, another boy from Ravenclaw who seemed to be a year or two older than the rest, raised his hand, raising his chin in the air.

"I did," he said, "And I'd do it again."

Harry stared right into his eyes. There was a grim satisfaction watching the boy lose his nerve and stare at his feet instead. He gestured at the other two.

"You two. Don't believe what your mother says. Daphne does not have me bewitched. Do you think the 'Chosen One' could be bewitched by a teenager?"

They muttered indeterminate responses.

Ron spoke up. "The answer is no."

"Get out of here," he said, ignoring Ron's objections. "But if I hear one word about the two of you spreading anymore rumors we'll be meeting again."

They nodded, saying they were sorry. As they ran off, quite literally, Ron asked Harry if he thought that was the right move. Harry wasn't completely sure, but since they didn't actually hurt Daphne he didn't know what other course he could take. Better to let them off and hope he convinced them otherwise as opposed to doing something to cause them to harbor a resentment of him. He knew stories of his tormenting third and fourth years would only lend credence to the rumors. The third one, on the other hand, would not be getting off so easy.

"You," he said, pointing his wand in his direction. "What's your name?"

"McCallister. George McCallister."

"You convinced those two to come with you, didn't you?"

"Just Frank," he presumed that was the boy's name. "He mentioned that letter to me from his mum and I figured it'd be good to have some backup. His sister wanted to tag along and you can never have too many wands when facing a Slytherin."

"Have you ever spoken to a Slytherin before?" Harry asked.

"No," he said. "One of them killed my dad's brother back in the first war. I didn't want them to get you too."

"You're an idiot, mate," Ron said, fingering his wand. "Maybe give him a taste of his own medicine? I think I know the incanationation for the curse he used. Some practice never hurts."

Harry placed a hand on his arm. "Not today, Ron." Relief flooded the boy's face. "I think we should go and see Professor Snape, though."

Harry couldn't help but savor the dread that filled the boy in front of him. He could understand the resentment, the anger, against the house of which one of its members killed your family. And when Harry was this boy's age he wouldn't have been able to argue with him. Very few people in the school knew it was a member of Harry's own house that betrayed his family though.

"You sure, Harry?" he asked.

"I'm sure, Ron," he stepped closer and whispered in the boy's ear. "It won't do to bear grudges against an entire house for the actions of a single person. Otherwise, I'd be trying to cover all of my housemates with boils too."

Harry grabbed his arm, nodding his head in the direction of Snape's office. Ron followed, keeping his wand close at hand. They arrived quickly at Snape's door. Harry steeled himself for the worst before knocking. Snape would no doubt be displeased by the late night interruption but Harry felt it was the best solution to his problem, balancing his desire to serve retribution with his self-imposed restraint towards taking matters into his own hands. Snape would no doubt be able to do justice to Harry's want for revenge.

Snape answered the door before Harry had a chance to rap his knuckles on the door a second time. He surveyed the scene in front of him, Harry with his rumpled hair and a younger Ravenclaw with his hands bound. Ron had managed to tear his robes. Snape's face was impassive. Harry thought that maybe his curiosity at the late night disturbance overcame his dislike of Ron and Harry. He was proven wrong when a sneer crossed his face before speaking.

"Potter, Weasley," he paused, looking at George. "Why did you see fit to bring a new member of your fan club to see me?"

Six years of taunts and insults had made Ron and Harry not immune to the sallow-skinned professor, but at least allowed them to contain their temper when they needed to most. Harry tugged McCallister closer to the professor when he noticed him try and shrink away. He did dispell the bonds holding his wrists, not wanting to give the wrong impression.

"Professor Snape, we caught McCallister attacking Daphne Greengrass a few minutes ago. We figured you'd be the best one to deal with it," Harry said.

Snape glared at George. "Is this true?"

He looked at his feet and muttered an affirmative response. Harry found it hard to blame him for losing his nerve in front of the visibly angry Potions' Master.

"Though I've come to question Greengrass's judgment over the last few weeks," he said, avoiding looking at Harry. "It is not up to the student body to mete out punitive measures. I do not appreciate members of my house being attacked unprovoked. My office, McCallister. Let's see if we can't come up with a suitable punishment for you to work on for the rest of the term." Harry and Ron didn't move, unsure of what to do next. "Potter, Weasley, as much as you two like to be involved in everything, I will not be in need of your services. Please remove yourself from the vicinity of my office before I get the impression you also wish me to assign you detention. I'm sure you've done something to deserve it."

The door slammed in their faces. Not needing to be told twice the two of them walked away towards the hospital wing. The adrenaline of the fight being replaced by concern for Daphne, he quickened his step, fast enough to force even the long-legged Ron to work to keep up with him. As they reached the entrance, Ron placed his hand on the door for a second and stopped Harry from entering.

"Calm down, mate. We both know how painful those curses are but we also know there's no lasting damage. I'm sure Daphne is already right as rain. There's no need to bring your frustration with the other students into this room here."

He took a deep breath, knowing Ron's unusually astute advice was correct. The lasting damage was nil and it would just give her distress knowing she gave other students cause to upset Harry like this. It was nobody's fault but a few naive younger students. He clapped on the shoulder, and nodded towards the door. Ron pushed it open for Harry and closed it quietly behind them. Instead of the scene he had hoped to see involving a newly minted friendship between Hermione and Daphne he emerged into a stitled atmosphere, the two girls sitting quietly and refusing to meet each other's eyes. He walked over to Daphne's bedside and sat down, taking her hand in his. It still looked red but all of the boils were gone.

"Hey," he said, placing a kiss on her head. "How are you feeling?"

She smiled at him. "I'm alright. Some spots that had particularly large boils are a bit sore but otherwise I'm completely recovered. Madam Pomfrey wants to keep me overnight just to make sure nothing is infected or anything."

Harry didn't think he had been worrying but the sense of relief that overcame him after she delivered the news almost overwhelmed him. It was one thing when he got hurt, even Ron and Hermione played and active role and some injury was expected. Daphne was different though. She was innocent, just caught up in the war they were fighting. Harry knew he couldn't stand it if she were ever seriously hurt because of her association with him. Looking at her lying there in the hospital wing, dozing after her ordeal, her long hair splayed across the pillow, he couldn't believe a girl as beautiful as she was showed any interest in him. The angry red blotches on her face, the only indication she had suffered any curse at all, did nothing to mar it. He didn't want to do anything to cause something like that to happen again. Angry whispering drew his attention away from his sleeping girlfriend. That would be a conversation for another day. He kissed her on the cheek and smiled when she smiled softly in her sleep. He left her to rest and ushered his two friends out of the room, letting Madam Pomfrey know that he would be back before classes in the morning.

"What were you two arguing about?" he asked as they stepped into the corridor and started making their way to their beds. Harry was exhausted and in no mood to argue but he had an idea of what this was about and didn't want to let it fester.

"Nothing," Ron said which Harry took to mean something.

"Hermione?"

She bit her lip, reluctant to speak. Harry did not relent though, having a feeling she had something else to say about Daphne and wanting to get this conversation over with lest she ambush him in the library or the bathroom to discuss it at a later date.

"Do you think that your relationship with Daphne puts you in any more danger? There's already enough attention on you as it is and now you have a girlfriend who's in Slytherin. And what about Daphne? Don't you think that Malfoy or one of his cronies could go after her as some sort of way to get to you?"

Harry couldn't help but feel a flash of anger at her question. He knew she didn't really care about what happened to Daphne. They had been civil to each other over the past few weeks but Harry could tell she still harbored her suspicions. Other than eliciting some sympathy, the curse she suffered did not seem to change Hermione's mind about the Slytherin. Harry didn't think he would be able to either.

"I don't think either of those things are true. I'm already target number one. I think being a supporter of Voldemort already trumps any other reason they could have to attack me. As for Daphne's safety, don't think I'm not worried about it. She assures me she's not concerned about it and until I have reason not to, I have to trust her on this account."

Hermione seemed skeptical but did not say another word until they reached the common room. She left Ron go in ahead of them and closed the portrait behind him, keeping Harry out in the hallway with her.

"I'm worried, Harry. Daphne seems nice and I'm glad you're happy but…"

"But what, Hermione?"

"I don't like it, Harry. I don't trust her, Harry. Like I said, Slytherins are specifically chosen as such because of specific aspects of their personality that don't always yield the most trustworthy individuals. How do we know she isn't up to something?"

Harry rubbed the bridge of his nose. He had no interest in arguing this with her and refused to indulge her worry. He also didn't want to divulge to her what she told him about her family. That was her secret to tell.

"Just trust me, Hermione. Beyond our feelings for each other, Daphne has a very good reason not to support Voldemort."

"Not supporting Voldemort and turning against us when it's convenient are two different things, Harry. I'm sure there are a lot of Slytherins who don't support Voldemort but I'm also sure many of them over the years have mocked me for being Muggleborn just the same."

"Has Daphne ever said anything about you being Muggleborn?"

Hermione stared straight at Harry. "No. But she never said anything to her housemates either. Sometimes silence speaks just as loud as words."

Glistening eyes became full blown tears as Harry wrapper her in a hug, holding her as she cried. She unburdened herself on him, sharing her stress over school and fears about facing off with Voldemort. It had been a long time since the two of them had a meaningful talk like this, with the increasing stress of school and saving the world added to his new relationship with Daphne, cutting into the time they used to spend together. As she confessed her concerns and worries to him until she was spent, worrying about death and injury and other things no sixteen year old should have to worry about, Harry felt bad about dismissing Hermione's concerns about Daphne. It's not that he thought they had any validity, but it would have at least given them a chance to discuss these other things that had been building in Hermione before they poured out like they were no. Harry no longer blamed Hermione for her suspicion of Daphne. They had too many things to worry about to try and overcome an ingrained suspicion of Slytherin. He was confident that Hermione would come around in time. He just hoped it would be soon.

* * *

Harry made it up to the hospital wing the next morning before Daphne had a chance to awaken. Upon entering, Madam Pomfrey assured him she was ready to go and everything was healing well. The red spots left from the boils had already faded for the most part. Harry sat down next to her bedside and pulled out a Transfiguration essay due later that day and started reading it over, having decided they were in no hurry and Daphne could wake up on her own. A few minutes later, a ray of sunlight slipped through the window and lit up her face, rousing her into consciousness. Daphne looked around, momentarily disoriented, before her eyes settled on Harry and she broke into a wide smile. Harry put his essay down and pulled the chair he was sitting in closer to the bed. They both winced at the sound it made scraping against the stone floor. He grabbed her hand and kissed her cheek.

"Hey. How are you feeling?"

Daphne pulled a face. "Much better. I can tell there are a few spots that are still tender but otherwise everything seems to have healed up. What did you do with the kids that did it?"

"We let the two smallest ones go. I don't think they held any malice towards you or us, they were just talked into it by an older student," Harry had a small smile on his face. "We took him to Snape. I think he'll be disemboweling toads until the end of term."

Daphne laughed. "That's positively evil, Harry.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company. A loud growl from Daphne's stomach brought them back to the present. Madam Pomfrey came by and gave Daphne a salve to rub on the sore spots for a few days and reminded her to be careful she didn't hurt herself again, but she knew how difficult that could be, she said while looking at Harry. Harry had the courtesy look sheepish under the combined glares of the two women. She waved them off and headed back to her office while Harry and Daphne went to the Great Hall. They sat down to breakfast at the Gryffindor table but they were disturbed before they had a chance to eat anything.

"Potter," said a formal sounding voice Harry recognized as Ernie McMillan. "Do you have a minute?"

Harry turned around on the bench seeing Ernie as well as Cho Chang standing behind him. He smiled awkwardly, having barely spoken to Cho since their falling out last year. He nodded at both of them.

"Ernie. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

He drew himself up importantly. Ernie got on Harry's nerves and this time was no exception either. Self-important as he was, Harry felt he was a good person who meant well.

"I wanted to apologize for the actions of a member of Hufflepuff house last night. Ms. McKinnon thought she was doing you a favor because of the words of a few Ravenclaws," he glared at Cho when he said this. "We have spoken to her and set her straight. We Hufflepuffs do not always get along with the Slytherins but we trust your judgment and are behind you in the fight to come." He extended his hand and Harry shook. "Ms. Greengrass, please also accept my apologies."

"Of course, McMillan," she said, but looked at Cho. "But I believe it was a Ravenclaw who cursed me."

Cho, who had been standing partially behind Ernie, paled when attention was placed directly at her. She wrung her hands, mumbling something at the ground. When Daphne said she couldn't hear her she looked up and glanced at her before her eyes settled on Harry. Harry looked back at her with a nondescript expression, but she must have considered it friendlier than the Slytherin's as she appeared to take heart at this. She took a deep breath and apologized on the behalf of George McCallister and Ravenclaw House and for allowing suspicion to run rampant in Ravenclaw.

"Alright, Chang. Thanks," Daphne said reluctantly and turned back to her meal. Those boils would sting for a while. Harry shrugged at the two of them and sent them on their way. Cho looked like she wanted to say something else but Harry turned back to table before she could.

"Is this what the rest of the school is like?"

"Like what?"

"Apologizing all the time?

Harry laughed. "I suppose so. I wish we'd get better about not needing to apologize in the first place though."

Daphne rolled her eyes. "I liked it better when people ignored me."

* * *

A few days later they were once again in their unused classroom, Daphne flat on her back and Harry standing above her, breathing hard with a smile on his face. Both were flushed and sweaty and had removed their robes. He stepped closer to her.

"You almost got me, Greengrass," he said, "but you let your guard down for a second. Took a second too long to admire your handiwork."

It was almost the end of the term and Harry and Daphne were finishing up the last of their practice sessions for the year. Not bothering to learn anything new so soon to exams and the ride home, they decided on a duel to test themselves, which they hadn't done seriously since their last one before Christmas. Daphne had almost disarmed by distracting him by turning a chair into a disgruntled cat, but her disarming spell had missed and Harry managed to trip her up and pocket her wand.

"Yeah, you got me," Daphne said, dismayed. Her eyes were heavily lidded and her voice quiet and innocent when she spoke next. "Just what are you going to do with me, Mr. Potter?"

Harry gulped, looking down at his girlfriend and unconsciously moving closer. Her t-shirt clung to her torso, sending Harry's mind in directions other than their duel. Her pants were form fitting and left little of her long legs to the imagination. He was distracted for a second trying to come up with a clever response. Before he knew it, he had his legs kicked out from under him and his own wand was at his throat.

She leaned close to his ear, legs straddling his waist. "It's best to finish a fight when you have the advantage." She kissed him then, all pretenses of competition forgotten. If this is what losing was like Harry didn't mind. A few minutes later they broke apart, glassy eyes and stupid smiles added to their previous breathlessness.

"I don't want to stop," Harry said and checked his watch. "We need to get back though."

Daphne sighed and stood up, brushing her back behind her ear. Harry handed her wand back and followed her to the door. They walked hand in hand, alternating between inane chatter and looking at each other and smiling goofily before looking away, embarrassed. They reached the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room far too soon.

Daphne seemed unsure of something. "Um...would you like to come in?"

Harry didn't want to. He felt an instinctual aversion to crossing over the threshold into their dungeon lair, at least when he was undisguised. He knew he had to do it. It would mean a lot to Daphne, being willing to step past that boundary and share in another part of her life that so many other people avoided. He made a great show of checking his watch and thinking it over.

"Just for a minute. I've got to get back lest Ron and Hermione start to worry that the evil Slytherin witch took me out once and for all."

Daphne rolled her eyes but her smile could have lit a room. "Come on then," she said. "Astoria should be awake."

The feeling of uneasiness did not pass when all eyes in the room turned towards him. He gave an awkward little wave and smile, choosing not to speak, and followed Daphne into a corner of the room where a dark haired version of herself was reading a book by the fire, lit to ward off the omnipresent chill in the dungeon. Harry looked around the space, able to appreciate it more now that he wasn't concerned with keeping up the ruse of being Gregory Goyle. There were no windows and the stone was broken only by the occasional green and silvery tapestry. At least the furniture looked comfortable. Not seeing Malfoy or his gang, he relaxed a bit.

"Astoria," said Daphne, "Say hello to.."

"I know who this is," she said, glancing at Harry before returning to her book. "I thought he'd be taller. He always seemed taller from far away."

Daphne's sister, who's black hair and dark blue eyes contrasted with her sister's light hair and eyes, also seemed to have a greater willingness to speak her mind. He couldn't picture Daphne, normally reserved to the point of timidity, saying something like this.

"It's nice to meet you too, Astoria."

"My sister never stops talking about you," she said, matter of factly but not looking up from her book. "I suppose I'll be seeing you this summer. Maybe you can teach me how to be a Seeker. I'm thinking about trying out next year. I'm sure Malfoy will need replacing soon enough."

"That'd be nice," he said to Astoria, and then raised his eyebrows toward Daphne. "Never stops talking about me, eh?"

Daphne blushed. "Quiet, the both of you. Is Tracy around?"

Astoria waved her hand absentmindedly. "I think she's here somewhere. She might have…"

"Who let you bring _him_ in here?" said a harsh voice that Harry recognized as Millicent Bulstrode. He made a mental check of where his wand was but tried to otherwise remain calm. "You're not doing yourself any favors, Daphne."  
Harry opened his mouth, taking umbrage at the fact that she not so subtly threatened Daphne. Daphne placed a hand on his arm.

"This is my common room too, Millicent, and I can bring a friend here if I want. It's not exactly a secret anymore."

Millicent folded her arms and sat back down, not sparing a glance in Harry's direction. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"I've heard plenty of your warnings," she turned back to Harry, lowering her voice. "So, what do you think?"

Harry chuckled grimly. "I think it's time for me to go." Daphne let out a large breath in frustration but nodded. He kissed her on the cheek and waved goodbye to Astoria after she gave him an overly emphatic farewell. As he crossed the room, aware everyone was still looking at him, he couldn't help but puzzle over what Bulstrode was saying. He knew she and Daphne were friendly, stretching back to when they were children, and despite some of her _political inclinations_ , Daphne swore she was a good person. He wondered what she had been warning Daphne about. She had never mentioned anything like that to him. Looking back and giving Daphne a small wave, he passed out of the common room and started his long trek back to Gryffindor Tower.

He paused for a second just as he was about to emerge from the dungeons, trying to decide whether it was worth risking curfew to make a stop at the kitchens. He was starved, having only eaten a light meal before his duel with Daphne and not getting a chance at any further sustenance with the evening having dragged on longer than he wanted to. He decided it was worth risking a detention to enjoy some of Dobby's hospitality and made off in that direction. He had only gone a few more steps when he felt a pulse of magic around him. Nothing immediately happened but whatever it was that Harry felt could not be good. He quickened his pace, wanting to get out of the dungeons without drawing further attention to himself. An all too familiar voice stopped him cold. He reached for his wand but was forced to stop.

"Why don't you just leave those hands down by your sides where I can see them?" said Malfoy, emerging from the shadows behind him. Harry cursed to himself. He must have been disillusioned and Harry was too distracted by thoughts of Daphne and food to be more careful. "You wouldn't want to do something you'll regret."

"I could say the same to you," he responded, trying to project a confidence he didn't really feel.

"I don't think I'll regret this."

Malfoy flicked his wand and Harry felt his try and jump out of his pocket, but was able to grab it in time to prevent it from getting away. Malfoy must have tried to summon it. Unfortunately, distracted by this, Malfoy was able to cast a Severing Charm at Harry, which hit him in the leg. Not a direct blow, it was nevertheless effective enough to put a deep gash through his shin and send him crashing to the floor. Pulling himself up onto the opposite knee, Harry was able to get a Shield Charm up in time to intercept another spell from Malfoy, one which looked suspiciously like a Bone-Breaker. He did not relish taking a direct blow from that. He returned the favor, throwing a series of Blasting Hexes to draw Malfoy's attention long enough to stand up and cast a temporary healing spell on his leg. Daphne had proved far more adept at these than he did but it would be enough to get through this.

They dueled, trading blows in the narrow hallway for the next few minutes. Harry was the superior combatant, having a much wider knowledge of spells and tactics than Malfoy did, able to counter most anything the Slytherin threw at him. His mobility was limited to painful limping, leaving himself vulnerable to the most intense barrages of spells from Malfoy's wand and unable to land a decisive blow. Transfiguring a torch into a large dog that distracted Malfoy long enough for Harry to hit him with a Disarming Charm, Harry caught the other's wand and leaned up against the wall, breathing heavily. He held his own on Malfoy, who had been blasted off his feet.

"Looks like I win, Malfoy. I'm sure your father will be disappointed to hear this. He might not let you torture any Muggles this summer, he'll be so distraught. Why, maybe even Vold..."

A series of shouts and a loud bang a little ways down the hallway cut him off. Even Malfoy looked a bit surprised at the interruption. Out of the darkness emerged Crabbe and Goyle, dragging a familiar face. _Daphne._ Her blonde hair covered her unconscious face. Her slender limbs looked wrong hanging limp, being pulled along the floor, caught up in Goyle's ugly hands.

"What do you want us to do with her?" Crabbe asked, prodding his wand into her ribs. "I've got one idea," he said, an ugly smile on his face.

Harry stood up straight, pointing his wand alternately between the two newcomers. "Over my dead body," he said.  
Malfoy looked quickly at Harry and then at the scene transpiring behind him. "Wake her up, Goyle," and then to Harry. "We'll see how serious you are about that."

Harry grew nervous. He expected Malfoy to be cowering at this point, slinking away. The only advantage they had was Daphne but he didn't think they were capable of doing any real harm to her despite their bluster. He took a step closer to the four of them. Daphne woke up, eyes wild until she found her bearings.

"Harry," she said.

Whatever she said afterwards was blocked out by the sound of Harry's own scream in his ears. A scream from Daphne joined it. There was a sharp pain in his chest, as if his ribcage was on fire. The initial shock wearing off, he moaned in pain and looked down. There was a silver snake protruding from the bottom of his right side, lodged in between two of his ribs. He looked at Malfoy and saw a satisfied smile on his face. He toppled to the ground, no longer able to keep himself upright. Spots appeared in his vision and every ragged breath he took sent a fresh wave of pain through his body. Malfoy casually walked over to Harry and plucked his wand from his grasp, picking up his own that had fallen a few feet away.

He stepped back towards Daphne. She was standing upright now, her arms being held behind her back by Crabbe. Malfoy placed the tip of his wand under her chin and leered at her.

"I told you Gryffindors were weak, Greengrass." He made a show of being disappointed. "I hope you learn something from this and rethink the choices you've made."

He turned back to Harry and raised his wand. "I'm not supposed to kill you, but I can make you suffer a little more."

He cast a Stinging Hex at Harry. It barely registered due to the overwhelming pain of the blade lodged in his ribcage. The spots in his eyes grew darker and he became less aware of his surroundings. He wished he had his wand but he forgot where it had gone.

"That probably didn't hurt very much, did it?" Malfoy laughed. "Let's try something a little more serious. _Cruc..._ "

A scuffle broke out behind the two of them. Harry had forgotten who was over there. He heard a couple of grunts, a shout, and a snapping sound. It sounded like two bodies hit the floor.

... _io."_

Even in his increasingly dire state he knew he should felt a new wave of intense pain but nothing changed. The only thing he heard was more screaming. Through his dimming vision he could see a spot of yellow in front of him. It was moving back and forth. It was hair. Blonde hair. He could see the pain in Daphne's face in the torchlight. The only thing Harry knew at that moment was that he wanted to stop Daphne's screams. Lacking a wand or any sort of weapon, his eyes caught the glinting of the silver handle in the torchlight. Acting purely on reflex, he wrenched the knife from his body and used the last of his strength to throw it at Malfoy. He didn't impale him like Malfoy had done but it had been enough of a distraction to break Malfoy's curse and cause him to shout with pain. Harry's saw Malfoy gritting his teeth and raising his wand again, but his eyes slipped shut before a spell was cast. The last thing he heard before he succumbed to his injury was a loud bang.

* * *

 **A/N:** That's the meat of the story. I've got two short chapters left that will wrap things up. Hope you've enjoyed it!


	3. I Wouldn't Change a Thing

Waking up the next morning was a slow and painful ordeal. Disoriented with a dull ache in his right side, Harry did his best to keep his eyes closed and force himself back to sleep, wanting to avoid a return to consciousness for as long as possible. This wish was not to come true. Madam Pomfrey came over as soon as Harry started to shift on the mattress.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter. I'm glad to see you're breathing normally."

Harry's voice came out in a croak. "If by normal you mean 'quite painfully' then yes, I'm breathing normally."

"You're lucky we were able to get that wound closed in the first place, Mr. Potter. It took the combined efforts of Professor Snape and myself to remove the poison from the blade that embedded itself in your torso, keeping the wound from closing." She paused her routine examination and said almost thoughtfully. "It would have been quite the adventure otherwise."

An adventure alright. Maybe he would have seen what was on the other side of the veil, he thought ruefully. Madam Pomfrey was done poking at his torso with her done and the cool relief offered by whatever salve she rubbed on his would cleared his mind some. He looked around the hospital wing and realized he was alone. He wasn't alone last night.

"Was Daphne here, Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked. He hated how weak his voice sounded.

The stern matron's gaze softened. "Yes, she spent the night here for post-Cruciatus treatment. The headmaster and Professors Snape and McGonagall wanted to meet with to get her story of the event last night. I presume they will return shortly."

She went to her office and closed the door, leaving Harry in silence, the only sound in the room the ticking of the clock. It matched his heartbeat until he started to think of Malfoy and a white hot rage filled him. He was disappointed that he allowed himself to be ambushed by Malfoy of all people. Daphne had been hurt too. It stiffened his resolve that letting her go was the best way to keep her safe going forward. It hurt him to admit it and it would be sad to let her go, if only for the duration of the war, but he didn't want to make her a target solely for her relationship with him. Daphne would want to earn it, he thought with a smile.

"Harry!" said a loud voice. "You're alright!" She ran the length of the room and wrapped him in a tight hug. She relaxed her grip when he grunted in pain.

"Still a little sore."

She laughed nervously. "I suppose you did have a poisoned knife in your side. I'm glad you're awake though."

"Me too."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and approached Harry's bedside. McGonagall and Snape followed close behind.

"We are also glad to see you alert, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said with a kindly smile. "A most unfortunate ordeal."

"Where is Malfoy now?" Harry asked.

"Alas, Mr. Malfoy has escaped our grasp. He had a Portkey on his person we were unable to prevent him from using after I knocked him off his feet."

Harry was a bit surprised to hear that Dumbledore was the one who saved them. He would have likely been far away at the time the attack transpired. Unless they were being watched and he was informed at the outset. Snape's face was inscrutable. He told him not to worry about Malfoy, after all.

"Malfoy was up to something, wasn't he?"

Dumbledore looked very old and very sad at Harry's declaration, more a statement than a question. "Indeed he was, Mr. Potter. We believe that Portkey was meant to carry both of you to wherever Mr. Malfoy went to."

Daphne gasped and Harry frowned. A plan to take him to Voldemort he imagined. He and Dumbledore would be discussing the proper sharing of information soon. Dumbledore patted his hand and looked at Harry and nodded. He likely knew what Harry was thinking.

"All in good time, Mr. Potter. For now, we shall let you rest." He was interrupted by a sound at the door. Ron and Hermione entered the room. "I cannot make the promise that others will do the same."

The trio of professors left and Ron and Hermione took their place at his bedside across from Daphne. Daphne grabbed Harry's hand and looked defiantly at Hermione. Hermione refused to look at the two of them which left Ron to carry the conversation.

"We met a little with Dumbledore last night. Sounds like you were right about Malfoy," he said, looking properly chagrined.

"I'm just glad Daphne got there in time. Another minute and I would probably be in some dank cell awaiting torture and execution from Voldemort." He raised Daphne's had to his lips. "Thank you," he whispered.

She started to cry. "I'm so sorry! If I hadn't brought you to our common room Malfoy would have never ambushed you."

She sat down on the bed next to him and buried her face in her hands. With great effort and a not insignificant amount of pain he sat up and placed a hand on her back, the other moving her hands from her face and cupping her cheek, forcing her to look at him.

"Malfoy was going to come after me anyway. It was a lucky thing you brought me there, really."

"Really?" she said, locking her blue eyes, open wide and filled with tears, onto his green ones.

"Yes," he said. "How did you know he was coming after me?"

"I saw him leave right after you did. Crabbe and Goyle came thundering down the stairs a moment later. The three of them running off together isn't all that unusual but it just didn't feel right, you know?"

"Most of what we do is because something doesn't feel right to Harry. It's a good thing you were there, Greengrass. Hermione and I aren't always there to protect him." He turned to Harry. "What does Mad-Eye always say?"

Harry grinned sheepishly. "I was a bit distracted."

Any further conversation was ended by Hermione bursting into tears. The three of them looked at each other unsure of what to do. Ron took it upon himself to pat her back awkwardly while she cried. Harry rolled his eyes.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Harry asked.

She said in between large breaths. "I'm so sorry Harry...Daphne took a curse...you could have died otherwise...thank you...should have trusted you, Harry." Before dissolving into tears once again.

He patted her hand, no less awkward than Ron had. "It's okay, Hermione. I don't think I'm the one you should be apologizing to though."

Harry saw Daphne staring intently at Hermione. She had stood up and was looking down at Hermione, an uneasy look on her face. Harry knew Daphne desperately wanted to project an impassive air in situations when she was uncomfortable but she always failed miserably. The actions of her family left her an outcast in much of Slytherin and her placement in Slytherin left her an outcast from much of the school. Daphne just wanted to be accepted and Harry knew Hermione admitting she was wrong would make her happy.

Hermione took a steadying breath and looked up at the Slytherin. "I'm sorry, Daphne. I put you in a box based on your house and wouldn't let that go," she smiled to herself. "And I was always telling these two to look past houses."

"And you were jealous," Ron said brightly.

Hermione blushed. "And maybe a bit jealous of the time you spent together," she put up a hand at the look on Daphne's face. "Not like that. It's just that, Harry, Ron, and I have spent nearly all of our free time together for the past six years and it was a shock to find out he had a beautiful secret girlfriend he wanted to be with instead of listening to me talk about elf rights or write Potions essays."

Daphne walked over to where Hermione was looking at her feet and wrapped her in a hug. "It's okay, Hermione, really. I can't say that I'm still not a little hurt but I hope we can get to know each other better. Maybe next year I won't cut into as much Potion essay writing time."

Hermione laughed, more at ease in Daphne's presence than she had been in the last few months. The four of them talked the morning away, as Madam Pomfrey wasn't allowing Harry to leave for another few hours to ensure the restorative potion she gave Harry was doing its job. Harry drifted in and out, his body still tired from the ordeal it had been put through. He was glad everyone was now getting along. He would hate for Daphne to be a continuing concern for Hermione. He couldn't help but grin like an idiot when he saw her laughing at one of Ron's jokes about the Cannons' chances. Beautiful and liked Quidditch to boot. He grew somber, thinking on it more. He just hoped she would understand why distancing herself from him was the right thing to do.

Eventually Ron's stomach growled and he declared he was going to lunch. Hermione made to follow him and invited Daphne along, in a show of magnanimity. The smile on her face was a tentative one but Daphne accepted all the same. They would try. Daphne lingered for another second, promising to bring Harry a plate of food when she was done. She paused, something obviously weighing on her mind.

"Do you mean it when you said that Malfoy was going to come after you anyway?"

Harry nodded. "He's been working on it all year. Likely a punishment from Voldemort for his father's failure."

Daphne bit her lip. "I wish this were different. I keep feeling like I'm drawing extra attention to you just because I'm a Slytherin."

Harry placed his hand over hers waiting for her to meet his eyes. He smiled softly. "I wouldn't change a thing."

* * *

 **A/N:** Hey all, busy week last week so I couldn't get this up earlier. I know it's extremely short but the conclusion is two distinct parts and it makes more sense structurally to keep them separate. I'll try and get the end up soon. I hope you've enjoyed reading this. Thanks!


	4. Taking Flight

"Harry!" said Mrs. Weasley, putting down the magazine she had been reading at the kitchen table before he walked in. "We weren't expecting you back until later. Come in and sit down!"

Harry stepped inside the Burrow, once again overcome with happiness to be inside of the Weasley home. He had been here for a week already, reveling in what was his last annual escape from the Dursley household. It was even more cluttered and noisy than usual with the preparations for Bill and Fleur's wedding well underway and the stream of guests beginning to arrive for the nuptials that would be taking place later that week. Harry had been simultaneously looking forward to and dreading this week all summer, for its closure signaled the beginning of the end. They had Horcruxes to find and a dark wizard to defeat. He would enjoy the week though. He had an ominous feeling that this was the calm before the storm. One last peaceful week with Ron and Hermione and their friends and family. _And Daphne_. He smiled as he heard Mrs. Weasley introduce herself to his girlfriend, who was still standing by the front door, hesitant to step past the threshold of the Weasley home.

"Yep, Mrs. Weasley. That's Daphne," he said as Mrs. Weasley swooped her up in one of her patented hugs. "Daphne, that's Mrs. Weasley."

"You can call me Molly, dear," she said putting a hand on her forearm and patting her on the cheek. "We've heard so much about you! Please, sit down. I'll get you some tea."

They took their seats at the table and Harry almost laughed at the grimace on Daphne's face. He knew she wasn't mad, just a little taken aback. The Greengrasses weren't the most physically affectionate family. At the end of his visit to their home there he had earned a handshake from her father and a pat on the shoulder from her mother as they walked her out. Astoria did not share in these reservations, going so far as to bring Daphne to wonder whether she had an ulterior motive in her actions. He couldn't take his eyes off of the blonde girl the entire week though, especially after she made good on her promise to do _things_ other than sail. He gripped her hand and smiled again. He had originally intended on spending one last happy week with her before breaking it off for the remainder of the war, with the promise he would do his best to end it sooner rather than later. A vicious Blasting Hex that pushed him into the lake was her answer to what he thought were noble intentions. Coming out of the lake soaked to the bone with a deep bruise quickly blossoming on n his shoulder, he was told in no uncertain terms that was not an acceptable excuse and that while she understood that she could not be with him at all times that was no reason for breaking things off and he was being arrogant thinking her family needed his help to become targets of Lord Voldemort. It had taken another hex for him to take her message to heart but at the end of the day they resolved to get through the war together. So they sat side by side in the Burrow, waiting for tea from Mrs. Weasley the inevitable introductions to the remainder of Harry's surrogate family.

She placed mugs in front of them and sat down across from them. "It's a little crowded right now so you'll have to squeeze in with Ginny and Hermione, if that's okay."

Daphne forced a smile on her face. Though they had ended the school year with a new understanding of each other, they were still far from friends. He had no idea how Ginny would take it either. He was sure he would hear about it, either way. There was a loud clamor on the staircase as a procession of Weasleys, and Hermione, made their way into the room.

"Hey, Harry," chroused the twins. He hadn't seen them since last summer and they looked the same as ever, vibrating with a barely contained energy that seemed ready to burst out at the slightest opportunity. He eyed their clothing, containing finer materials than he had ever seen on them and contrasted sharply with the normally reserved dress of the rest of the family.

"Hey, you two. Did you just stop by this morning?"

"Yep!" said Fred. "Our shop assistant finally felt comfortable enough to cover the business while we were gone."

"And we couldn't bear to stay away from our family a second longer," said George, quite seriously. "We knew how much they need us here during this wonderful, yet stressful, event."

Molly rolled her eyes and went to the kitchen, presumably to fix more tea or a snack for everyone. "You two were just what we needed to calm things down here."

"We're this family's emotional support, you see," Fred said in a stage whisper to Daphne. "Quite invaluable."

"I can see that," Daphne said, eyes pleading with Harry to intervene between her and the twins but he only shrugged in response. She frowned when she realized the only intervention on her behalf would be amusement. If she could handle the twins for a few minutes she'd make it through the week just fine.

* * *

"Harry?" said Remus, who was sitting under a lamp in the Burrow's sitting room, reading. He checked his watch. "What are you doing up this late?"

"I could ask the same of you," he rejoined, taking a seat on the sofa across from him.

Remus smiled sadly. "I often have trouble sleeping this time of the month. What can I do for you?"

Harry rubbed the back of his neck and removed two small mirrors from his pocket. He was uncomfortable divulging this information but he knew he couldn't forgive himself if he didn't ask. "Remus, do you know how my dad and Sirius charmed those mirrors back in school?"

Remus nodded. "It's quite simple, actually. Just a Protean Charm with a modified communication spell so you can connect the mirrors and then see and hear the other person. Would you like me to charm those mirrors for you, Harry?"

He nodded and handed the mirrors to the older man and remained silent for a minute while Remus muttered and tapped his wand on the glass surfaces. He passed one of the mirrors back to Harry and spoke his name. Remus's face appeared in the glass and when he spoke his voice came from both across the room as well as emanated from the mirror. Remus chuckled and tapped his wand to the mirror in his hand, closing the connection. He handed it back to Harry.

"I hope you and Daphne put those to good use."

Harry blushed and Remus laughed. He sputtered to explain but the older man held up his hand.

"No need to tell me anything, Harry. Your mother and father often used these during the last war."

He knew what he wanted to ask Remus next. "You don't think there's a problem, do you? With her being a Slytherin and all."

Remus smiled. "No, Harry, I don't. Once you're out of school for a while you start to realize how little those things matter. Sure, you can sometimes guess what house they were in based on personality differences but personality means little compared to one's core character. There were plenty of Slytherins who joined the Order the first time around and acted with bravery and loyalty." He looked out the window and his voice barely rose above a whisper. "And of course a Gryffindor was the most cunning and cowardly of us all."

They sat quietly for a few moments lost in their thoughts but enjoying the familiarity of the other's company. Harry often regretted not becoming closer with Remus over the last few years. The last remaining link to his parents, while exceedingly reserved, was a kind and thoughtful man whom Harry always enjoyed speaking with when he got the chance. He hoped they would yet have a chance to forge a relationship worthy of his father's oldest surviving friend.

"I'm going to go to bed, Remus. Thank you again for the mirrors."

He picked his book back up. "Of course, Harry, I'm happy to help." He seemed to struggle with something else he wanted to say. He finally said, "And of course, I'm happy to help whenever you need me."

Harry nodded and said goodnight, quietly walking up the stairs so as not to disturb anyone. He paused at the room Daphne was sharing with Hermione and Ginny, momentarily thinking about leaving the mirror for her to find in the morning but thought better of it. The last thing he needed was for someone to grow suspicious of their intentions or, even worse, step on it by accident. Better to give it to her in the morning. He sighed, his thoughts straying to Daphne, picturing the peaceful look on her face while she slept, her blonde hair fanned out on her pillow. The faint rise and fall of her chest. He had only slept next to her once, when they snuck away for an afternoon nap while he was visiting earlier this summer. He hadn't slept much, too busy drinking in the sight of the beautiful woman who had decided he was worth spending time with. He laughed quietly to himself thinking back again to when she blasted him into the lake. With a temper like that it was no wonder she got along with the Weasleys so well.

* * *

It had been a magnificent ceremony, Fleur resplendent in white silk robes that were only outshone by the smile on her face. Bill, not to be outdone, wore white robes as well, his long red hair standing out brightly against the pale backdrop. He had just given his respects to the bride and groom and was at the bar, getting drinks for Daphne and himself. She was caught up in conversation with Ginny again. Those two had taken to each other beyond his wildest imagination. Though he worried the boldness of Ginny's personality would put Daphne off, the Slytherin's mischievous nature complimented the parts of Ginny that most definitely took after Fred and George. The line was long and wanting to give it a minute, he took a step outside the tent and drew a deep breath of the warm summer air.

"Harry?" The Weasley parents came up behind him and Mr. Weasley put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you having a good time?"

Harry couldn't help the huge smile on his face. "Yeah, I am." And it was true. "You guys can really throw a party."

"It's easy when you have seven adult, or almost adult in the case of Fred and George, children," Mr. Wesley said, an exaggerated grimace on his face.

They all laughed and chatted idly for a few minutes. Harry relished the opportunity to spend a few last quiet moments with the closest thing to parents he had ever known. Daphne caught his eye and gave him a wave. Harry raised the drinks that had made their way into his hands, Charlie had pressed a pair into them when he had strolled by, making sure everyone's thirst was properly quenched. Mr. Weasley had wandered away to talk with someone from the Ministry. It was just he and the Weasley family matriarch. She had caught the look that Harry and Daphne gave each either.

"Daphne is a great girl, Harry."

Harry was slightly anxious, unsure as to where this conversation was going. "She really is."

"I'll admit I was unsure about it at first when I heard you were seeing a Slytherin," she said, more to herself than Harry. Tears were starting to shine in her eyes. "But you're far too strong to be taken advantage of and Arthur and I just want you to be happy. You deserve it after all you've been through."

Mrs. Weasley wrapped her arms around Harry in a fierce hug while Harry did his best to keep the booze in his hands from spilling during the unexpected hug. Daphne had been making her way over when she saw what was happening. Harry pleaded for help, but just as he did the other day, she just shrugged and turned away. Molly Weasley didn't seem to have any intention of letting go, as if she knew what was going to be coming soon. That her surrogate son and his friends would soon be undertaking the most dangerous task of the entire war. Daphne finally took pity on him and levitated the drinks out of his hands, allowing him to return the hug with fervor.

They finally broke apart when the music started and Mrs. Weasley needed to make her way to the main dance floor. Daphne came over to Harry and leaned into his shoulder. Harry wrapped his arm around her, and placed his cheek on her head, savoring the smell and feel of her.

"Hey," he said quietly, not wanting to disturb the proceedings. "Where did my drink go?"

"I gave it to Ginny," she said matter of factly, inviting him to argue. Instead he leaned down and kissed her. She wore dark blue robes that complimented her every feature and made her bright blue eyes shine brightly. As more and more people clamored onto the dance floor they made their way closer, remaining on the fringes, focusing more on each other than the music or the gathered guests. He hoped when this was all over they could have many other nights like this.

An eerie silence descended over the crowd and the music stopped playing. Harry was instantly alert and drew his wand. Daphne did the same, looking worried. He looked around for the source of the disturbance. There was a Patronus in the middle of the floor. Daphne mouthed a question to him, asking if something was wrong. Unable to speak, he could only nod. A Patronus would not appear unbidden in the middle of the wedding unless there was dire news to report.

It opened its mouth and said in Kingsley's voice, _"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."_

The tent was chaos. Chairs were knocked over. Tent stakes ripped up and awnings began to topple in the commotion of people running and Apparating out. He saw blasts of light on the fringes of the Weasley's property and knew the Death Eaters were already here. Harry caught sight of Ron and Hermione making their way over to him and grabbed tight to Daphne's hand.

"Daphne, I have to go. Get home before someone sees you here. I will contact you with the mirror when we're safe."

Daphne looked like she wanted to argue, to plead her case for coming with. Harry placed a hand on her cheek and kissed her softly. She relented. They had talked about this. She had to let him leave. She placed her hand over his and held it in place for one more moment. Ron and Hermione had pushed their way across the tent to the pair and she let his hand drop from her face. They did not let go of each other.

"Harry, mate, it's time." He looked at Daphne. "We'll keep him safe."

A small sob escaped her and tears started to fall from her eyes yet she did not let go of Harry's hand. The sounds of spells being shouted started to grow louder and he knew the only had moments before the tent would be surrounded. Their window to escape was rapidly closing and if they didn't make it there would be a much bigger problem on their hands. He reluctantly let his fingers slip from Daphne's grasp.

"I love you," he said. He had wanted to say it for weeks. He had pictured himself uttering those words to her in a quiet moment, a lazy afternoon by the pond, sitting in the shade while the warm summer sun drifted across the sky, instead of being surrounded by fleeing wedding guests and spellfire. This would have to do. He maybe wouldn't get another chance.

More tears slipped from Daphne's eyes. She raised her own wand, preparing to Disapparate. She whispered her response, but Harry heard it perfectly through the din. "I love you too."

Their eyes met. Then they were gone.

* * *

 **A/N:** There you have it. I hope you all enjoyed the story. Thanks for reading! **  
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